Happy Tails by Dorelle Ackermann
"As
Good as Gold" aptly describes Nala, who traveled 2,000 miles to bless
my family with her presence. How is it that a street dog from Puerto
Rico can be so gentle, calm and trusting? How can she be so beautiful
with such a lustrous coat? How can she already be potty trained and has
adapted to life in the suburbs? Well, she's as good as gold!
If
you are reading this newsletter, I don't need to explain how a dog can
capture your heart within minutes of meeting her at her wonderful foster
home with Tracy Zavos. After her initial fears were overcome, she sat
next to me leaned in and looked up with her trusting brown eyes. It
didn't matter that I thought I was quite content with owning one golden
(my other golden crossed the Rainbow Bridge last January). I knew I couldn't ask
for a better match. What a joy to see her courageously face her fears
and overcome them. Her first trip to PetSmart was cautious. On her
second trip (she's too cute not to have her own designer collar and
leash) she pranced right in to the store. Her first night sleeping with
my daughter required a boost up on the bed; the second night she hopped
right up, sprawled out in the middle of the bed and took over the
pillow as well. She's working at winning over Maija (my 7-year-old
golden) by joining in a little Frisbee play,
but not quite ready to plunge into the local pond to retrieve it. I'm
willing to bet she will be tops in her etiquette class, which
we start on Friday. After all, she has the "street smarts" of a Sato
and the "desire to please" of a golden. A winning combination.
Since meeting Nala (a.k.a. Queen), I've learned about the partnership between AGaG and saveasato.org.
Together they have brought over 20 golden retriever/mixes from the
streets of San Juan, Puerto Rico to our area. What is incredible to me
is the dedication and commitment of so many volunteers that made this
happen. How fortunate I feel to be the recipient of this sweet pup and
the efforts of so many.
I am recommitting to supporting AGaG through service and donations. Each 
bottle of
wine, candle or calendar purchased contributes to saving a golden and
enriching the life of a family. Where else can you enjoy a murder
mystery or dinner at the zoo and be supporting such a worthwhile cause
at the same time? I can certainly step up and "Strut My Mutt" which is
another winning fund raiser for AGaG. And, although there is a core
group of volunteers that donate an incredible number of hours, the few
hours that I donate as a transporter for goldens add up when multiplied
by dozens of people that also "give what they can".
After
I read an article about Serena featured in "Tails from the Backseat" in
the newsletter a couple of months ago, I decided to apply for a
golden. Serena was also a Sato dog from Puerto Rico. Was it fate that I
didn't get Serena, but got another Sato dog? Perhaps, and perhaps this
article on Nala will inspire you to apply for a golden. I hope so.
What a wonderful testament to the way we start off with the intention of rescuing a dog that needs a home, and they end up giving us far more than we could ever give them. Nala is BEAUTIFUL and sounds like the perfect dog. From one sato owner to another: Thank you for adopting Nala and for your continued commitment to help rescue organizations!
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